Guwahati:
The Maharaja of Jodhpur, Gaj Singh, today deposed before a military court in Guwahati, in connection with court martial proceedings in the Sukna land issue involving senior Army generals.
Court martial proceedings are on against former military secretary retired Lieutenant General Awadhesh Prakash, who is accused of conniving with another serving Lieutenant General PK Rath and a private developer Dilip Agarwal, to issue a No Objection Certificate on a proposal to build a school on nearly 70 acres of land that belonged to the 'Chumta' tea estate, right outside the Sukna military station near Siliguri.
Gaj Singh, who is also the chairman of the Mayo College's governing council, testified about a meeting with Mr Agarwal in Jodhpur in July 2008, where Awadhesh Prakash was also present, and about the possibility of setting up a franchise for Mayo College was discussed at the meeting.
When asked if he thought the name of his institution was sullied in any way, Mr Singh replied, "No, absolutely not. Anyone can come and meet me. You could come and meet me. How was I supposed to know that the particular people in question had a criminal background."